Monday, November 23, 2009

Later on Allan Affeldt and his wife Tina Mion, an artist, bought the place and restored the hotel with Daniel Lutzick. It reopened in 1997. The bedrooms are named after famous former guests… John Wayne, Marylin Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Charles Lindberg…

The construction of the Spanish ranch looking hotel started in 1929 -the year of the stock market crash- and all the furniture was either imported from Mexico or built on site.The first owner Fred Harvey, was known as the man who “civilized the southwest” (!)At the end of the 50’s the furniture was auctioned and the hotel converted into executive offices for the Santa Fe Railway. See Intermezzo.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Smokeout ChallengeThe rules are simple: You just quit smoking for the 24 hours of the Smokeout.Once upon the time we stopped smoking and started collecting tiny gold coins. Since, we stopped… collecting gold…

Thursday, November 12, 2009

If the colors of autumn don’t reach us here in Chandler, Canadian geese (official name Branda canadensis) know the way and where to hang around to enjoy our winter sunshine.Let’s not talk here about their number and nuisance though I have plenty of ideas to modestly help with hunger in the world.For a closer look.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

There was a horde of people mostly volunteers at the Botanical Garden the other day, helping creating new showcases. I made one more attempt to spend a quiet time strolling through the alleys but to no avail. I don’t think that, in the last two years, any part of this garden has remained untouched : new signs, new temples and courtyards, new rows of cacti and every day schoolers lining up around the corner.A new botanical science museum is born. Even Mrs frog I spoke to agreed with me but… someone is smiling at the camera and I presume business is business.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

By putting on a mask, a person can become another being, either alive or dead.Notice the orange and yellow marigolds* which are considered the flowers of the dead, a custom which goes back to the Aztec.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Remembering loved ones is part of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. The day is usually spent by honoring the memory of disappeared loved ones whose spirit returns that day to protect the living from death. Learn more about it on Julie’s blog: Scottsdale Daily Photo.